Category Archives: Announcements and Stuff

Women of Faith

Our Women of Faith group met on October 17.

Our most pressing task was to decide how to donate our ‘surplus ‘ funds, made from our annual Strawberry Social last summer. After a discussion we decided to donate $150 to each of the following organizations:

C.U.R.E. International 
Muskegon Rescue Mission
Every Woman’s Place 
MOKA
The Ladder
Oceana Council on Aging
Crystal Valley Care Fund
Oceana County Medical Center
White Lake Giving Tree
Women of Faith treasurer

Another topic of discussion was the disarray of the back rooms of our building. We decided to have a cleaning day on October 25, at 1pm, to sort and straighten up the Sunday school rooms, the library, nursery, and storage rooms. We want these rooms to be presentable and ready to be used as needed.

Our next meeting will be on Friday, November 29 at NOON. We will be decorating the church for the Advent season and can use the help of anyone who would like to join us. We will be serving a pizza lunch. Please consider lending a hand in this fun task.

Thank You!

Thank you to all who said yes to continuing to serve the Claybanks UMC on the various committees and Administration Council. Thank you to those who have said yes to new or additional positions to the Council and committees of the church for the next few years. Our church had a beautiful reflection on Sunday, October 20^th in that so many from Claybanks UMC attended our Church Conference at White Lake UMC along with seven other United Methodist Churches.

Disaster Relief

With the hurricanes and floods this fall the United Methodist Council On Relief (Which we support on UMCOR Sunday each spring) has been continually active in providing materials, service, and volunteers to help those effected by those disasters. Should you want to respond you can direct your financial donations to: Advance 901670 Global Ministries The United Methodist Church, 458 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE Building Q Suite 1 Atlanta, Georgia 30308 or visit the website:umcmission.org.

Missions
Thanks everyone for supporting Muskegon Pregnancy Center with your contributions of diapers, wet-ones and pull-ups given in September.

Our Mission for October and the first half of November is food for the Trintiy Food Bank. We will be collecting food item (and Cash donations) for prior to Thanksgiving. Please support this project by bringing your donations and placing them on the mission table in the Fellowship Hall.

Women of Faith
Edith Bogart opened our meeting with a short devotion and prayer.  We carried over from our August meeting a discussion regarding simplifying our funeral luncheons.  Several ideas were discussed and hopefully it will be a long time before we need to use any of them.  We reviewed our yearly donations from 2023 and will present the names of new possibilities at our October meeting.

Our next meeting will be October 17, 2024.

Cinda

Thank You!
The congregation of our little country church never ceases to amaze me. Again, this year I asked for volunteers to help with the Ragnar Relay Race. I expected to have a hard time getting our volunteers since we had to be at the church at 5:30 AM. Nope, not the case. Every volunteer position was filled readily and filled with a smiling face. I asked for twelve dozen cookies and got approximately eighteen doz. It takes a lot of people to help put this on and I believe almost EVERYONE helped. You are all amazing and made my job so much easier. I couldn’t have headed this without your help. Thank You, thank you, thank you!!!!

Konnie
Thank You!
I want to thank the Women of Faith for their beautiful thank you card and generous gift. I have and will always gladly work for you with no expectation of any repayment. I just bought more ink for my printer so let me know when you need anything.

Konnie
Laity Sunday – October 20^th
We are continuing to seek the Holy Spirit moving within our church family for a member to witness to us as our message that Sunday. We are also looking for others to assist in our Worship service in our announcements, liturgy, prayers, and scripture readings. Please prayerfully consider being part of our service that day. Contact pastor Gary to see where you can use your gifts.

Spiritual Saturday – October 19^th
An ecumenical retreat designed to nurture our life with God will happen from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Ludington United Methodist Church (5810 East Bryant Rd, Ludington). A number of  prayer walks will be experienced. For additional details, see the flyer on our information table in our Fellowship Hall.

Ragnar Race is Coming Soon!

The end of September will be the eighth year the Claybanks UMC has volunteered to be involved with the Ragnar Michigan Road Relay. While the task seems daunting at times, we can’t ask for a better way to help others as well as put a little money into our funds for more mission work. This year the relay will be run in the opposite direction as in the past. The running teams will start in Traverse City and will be coming by CUMC on Saturday, September 21st approximately 5:45 am on their way to Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon. Yes, that’s right. They will be here before the roosters crow so set your alarms, three if you need them, and come out and join in the fun. We need people to “man” the chute, cheer the runners on, control traffic flow and parking, bake cookies, and maintain the snack table. Please give prayerful consideration to joining us on this major one-day-mission for which we not only receive a generous monetary donation to the church, but we are also able to give back to others in a small but helpful way. A sign-up sheet is in the fellowship hall.

Any questions, contact Konnie Grant

Women of Faith

Our ladies group has had a very busy August,  as is usual. 

On August 2^nd, we were honored to help with a memorial service and luncheon for our dear Betty Graham. 

On August 9^th, we hosted our church’s 81st annual Strawberry Social.  Thank you to our entire church family for being a part of this. We could not have this event successfully without you. During a very busy 2 hours we served around 165 people and made a profit of just over $1,400. And yes, we’ve already begun talking about next year’s event.

Cinda

Mission – Urgent Need

We have an opportunity to help with an URGENT NEED request by the Muskegon Pregnancy service.

They have requested:

BABY WIPES

ALL SIZES OF PULL-UPS

DIAPERS IN SIZES: 4,5,6 AND 7

There will be a table set up for the month of September (1^st-29^th), and we will plan to make two deliveries to the Muskegon office, the first delivery after the 8^th and again after the 29^th.

Thank you for your generosity to help those in need!

Kelly

Christian Nationalism

Join us for an early morning discussion on Sunday, September 8^th, on Christan Nationalism (Prior to the beginning of Adult Sunday School which will begin on Sunday, September 22nd ). We will gather from 9:30 – 10:15 am with coffee and donuts to learn about Christan Nationalism as it has become a pointed part of our religious discussion recently.

Adult Sunday School

We will begin our Fall Adult Sunday School on Sunday, September 22nd at 9:30 am. We need your feedback. Would you want a Bible Study or a study on Spiritual Practices? Please express your desire to Pastor Gary.

Grinnin’ & Grillin’ Love in The Name Of Christ

Again, this year the Claybanks UMC will have a table at Love INC Annual Dinner on September 23rd beginning at 6:00 pm with a social time and dinner at 6:30 pm. Bruce Bradford-Royle will entertain us with his humor. We will have the great grilled Chicken Dinner as in previous years. Please talk with Pastor Gary to be included for the evening.

Guest Music Providers

Suzanne Bellrichard will be off from Sunday September 8th through October 6th for shoulder surgery. We will be blessed during her absence with music provided by Cheryl Lohman, Julie Ash, Sandi Kersten and Shar Boerema. Please pray for a successful surgery for Suzanne and a speedy recovery.

Nominations Committee Looking For Great People

The nominations Committee is currently working to fill and extend committee and Administrative Council positions for 2025 to be confirmed at our Annual Conference on Sunday, October 20th. When contacted please prayerfully consider their request. If there is a committee or position that you would like to be considered for, please contact one of the persons on the Nominations Committee (Dave Grossman, Konnie Grant, Edie Bogart, or Pastor Gary).

Guest Worship Leader

SK Osborn, a Lay Speaker, will be our worship leader on Sunday, September 15th. Sk is a Certified Lay Speaker from the Ludington UMC. She has graciously stepped forward to lead our worship service while Gary and Reba are away for the weekend.

Important Dates Coming Up

Sunday, October 6th World Communion Sunday  – Dave Kersten- Guest Pastor with Sandi Kersten as our Music provider. We will also have a Church Mission Meal following worship.

Thursday, October 17^th –  SPRC and District Superintendent meeting

Sunday October 20^th –  Church Annual Conference at White Lake UMC

Landscaping Front of Church
The Trustees are looking for someone to assist David Naghtin to spearhead the renewing of the landscape in front of our church. These people are to lead the project coordinating with local nursery/landscape and get suggestions and then complete the project. Interested people should contact Dave Grossman (Chair of Trustees) or David Naghtin for additional details.

Memorial Service for Betty Graham
A Memorial Service will be held for Betty Graham on Friday, August 2^nd at 11:00 am. Following the service Claybanks Women of Faith will be serving a luncheon for family and friends attending Betty’s Celebration of Life Service.

Old Time Worship and Church Picnic Sunday August 18^th
We will once again (weather permitting) be outdoors for our Old Time Worship Service and Picnic. Attendees are encouraged to dress in old time clothes, hats and if available drive their vintage autos. We will worship in a style common to the early 1900’s and sing some of the old hymns. Following our worship we will gather for a picnic with food (hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, watermelon, plus) with a church photo and social time. Plan to be there and it is a fantastic time to invite family, friends, and neighbors.

Guest Worship Leader and Special Music Sunday, August 25^th
Pastor Terri Cumming will be with us to lead us in worship and Megan Schihl will bring special music to us. Megan will be married to Danial Leinke later in the day at Claybanks UMC. Pastor Terri and Pastor Gary will be officiating. Also, on this Sunday we will have a special Bible presentation.

Suzanne Bellrichard Shoulder Surgery
Suzanne will be off for about six weeks for surgery on her second shoulder. We are praying for successful surgery and a speedy recovery. We have been able to replace Suzanne for a few Sundays with the music portion of our worship service. We are looking to fill three Sundays at present. If you know of someone who could help us with music, please contact Pastor Gary or our Worship Design Team.

Laity Sunday
October 20^th is Laity Sunday, and we are asking through the power of the Holy Spirit to bring one or more of our church family to lead us in worship. When the Holy Spirit moves you, please contact Pastor Gary or a member of our Worship Design Team.

Ragner Relay – Save The Date of September 21^st 
Something new is happening with the Ragner Relay. They will be starting in Traverse City (instead of Muskegon) and running the course in reverse order which means our hosting an exchange stop will occur from early Saturday morning to early afternoon. Details and sign-up times to be posted and announced soon!

Strawberry Social
Friday, August 9^th we will host the Claybanks’ 81^st Annual Social from 5:00-7:00 pm. The Claybanks Women of Faith will need all hands-on  deck. Volunteers are needed everywhere and especially to serve and clean up. Please tell, call, invite and inform your friends and family. So many in our community look forward to this event and we do not want anyone to miss it!

Recording Secretary
The Nominations Committee and Administrative Council are looking for a Claybanks Family Member to replace Kathy Ohman who has served graciously for many years as Recording Secretary for our Administrative Council. The details of the volunteer position include attending six Council meetings a year plus Our Annual Church Conference and recording the discussions and actions taken by the Council and the church. The recordings become a permanent record of the Church and are published in our Church Newsletter. Willing persons should talk to Art Grumm or Pastor Gary about their call to serve in this capacity.

Women of Faith News
Our church has such a willing and joyful group of women in the WOF committee!  They all work together so well and fill in for me when I have memory lapses.  For example, it was Carol who picked up our strawberries last year and not the person I mentioned!

So, we are working toward the Strawberry Social.  The forms have been sent in to the Oceana County Health department and next month we will gather when the strawberries dictate to wash, hull, chop, and freeze the berries.  We decided to process 8 flats.  

After discussing other ways to conduct the Strawberry Social, such as self-serve or banquet style, it was voted that we continue to conduct it as we did in the past.  So, we need servers: younger persons. Put on your running shoes and plan to have fun!

A request was presented by Janice Anderson that we collect birthday cards next Sunday for her to take to Edythe Brown to honor her special birthday since she has difficulties attending church gatherings.  Boy was that request honored!  There was a basket full of cards which Janice and a few others took to Edythe.

Men and women, start planning what you can make or contribute (produce goes fast) to the bake sale at our social.  It is so popular that at times we run out of goodies.

Let’s have a great summer and God bless us all .   Shalom, Edie

Father’s Day, June 16^th
As part of Father’s Day, we would like the men of the church to wear a favorite hat. If it has a special meaning, would you be prepared to share it with the congregation? In respect, you may remove it when entering the building if you so practice. When entering the sanctuary, we will remove our hats but keep them visible.

Women’s Adult & Teen Challenge
Sunday, June 30th we will welcome the Women’s Adult and Teen Challenge as they bring music and witness to our worship service. Following worship, we will share a potluck meal with our guests. Everyone is asked to bring a dish to share. Beverage and table settings will be provided by the Worship Design Team. An Offering Basket will be available to you in Fellowship Hall where you can assist in support of Adult and Teen Challenge.

Hymn Sing (Planned or Emergency Fill)
We would like to know your favorite hymns. A new list will be compiled to be used in case of emergency fill-ins or in selecting hymns for our weekly worship. A clipboard is available in Fellowship Hall for you to list your favorite hymns. Please list the title, page number and your name.

Community
It was great that Claybanks UMC members could share the National Day of Prayer, May 2, 2024, with so many others from our community. Also, a number of our Claybanks Family attended the Mears Pancake Breakfast at Mears UMC on Memorial Day.

Trustees
Big thanks to all who came to our outdoor building and ground clean-up. Many hands made the work possible. And the hotdog roast was spectacular as always!

Mother’s Day, May 12
We will recognize Mother’s Day during our worship and fellowship time. We want to encourage all our ladies to wear a hat for Mother’s Day in celebration of the day.

Movie Night, May 13
All are invited to be part of our Movie and Potluck Night on May 13th at 5:30 p.m. Bring a dish to share. A movie is now being selected and will be announced on Sunday, May 12th during announcement time. This will be our last Movie and potluck until fall.

 Mission Moment
Our next mission project will be assisting children going to camp.

Women of Faith News
WOF met this last month of April without too much to cover business wise, but we did enjoy fellowship and cookies with coffee!  We do enjoy our fellowship.

Actually, we are putting out a plea to the congregation to bring in “to-go”containers  as we are running out. Those cool whip containers work very well so no need to buy any.

We also discussed the Easter Brunch menu, and it seems the change to breakfast casserole was well liked.  We will most likely do the same menu next year. Let us know your thoughts, congregation.

Other than those few topics, we had a lovely meeting.   Next month we will start to discuss and plan for our Strawberry Social!

Shalom,  Edie